The 23-year-old earned his first England cap in August after his 2011-12 season was disrupted by injuries and his more experienced colleague feels that more games will help the youngster develop consistency to match his capability.

"He's got the talent and the ability - we've all seen that," Carrick told the media. "He's comfortable dealing with the pressures that come with playing for the club. There is no danger about that.

"It's just about keeping the standards high - we set the standards and the hard part is keeping to that standard consistently.

"There is no magic ingredient. It's just about learning and getting experience. The more games he plays, the better he'll play.

"Tom is a very intelligent and clever footballer; he’s got a lot to bring.

"It's a shame the way his season panned out last year because he started so well.

"That's one of the good things about our midfielders. We all bring different things when called upon which gives the manager options.

"That is vital given how many games we're hoping to play this season."